


Always Room for the Living

by Iced_Coffee_Please



Category: Heathers (1988), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: #Vague spookiness, Alternate Universe, Ghosts, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Multi, Smoking, haunted house au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2020-10-10 16:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20531093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iced_Coffee_Please/pseuds/Iced_Coffee_Please
Summary: Veronica Sawyer is at the end of her rope. In a last ditch effort to save herself, she makes the impulsive decision to leave everything behind and travel across the country to write about one of the most haunted houses in North America. Determined to stay no matter the cost, Veronica is forced to deal with unexpected roommates, confront her past, and try to survive.She’s going to need something a lot stronger than a slushie to make it through the year.





	1. The Art of Cigarettes and Cops

Veronica Sawyer was never quick to describe herself as a courageous person. That word was used for someone who didn't actively ignore reviews of her own writing, or who was once kicked out of the local bar for being too drunk at 2 PM on a Tuesday. A courageous person didn't just abandon her current job and coworkers without a phone call or email and decide to drive cross country to some haunted house out of spite. 

Regardless, she was certain that the payoff would be spectacular. She couldn't afford it to be anything different than perfect.

As to why she wanted to stay at _this _ haunted house to write a book that is near-destined to fail, she doesn't know why. All she does know is that after a quick search online of _‘most haunted buildings in North America'_, and here she was. Technically, it wasn't even considered that creepy in her mind, it was only ranked number #8 on the site.

This fact did nothing to appease her mother. 

Despite the odds, Veronica uses the last of what little savings she has left, arms herself to the teeth with vodka and cigarettes, and begins the drive to the Westerberg Mansion, last officially lived in (according to the internet) in 1889. If anything, this managed to make her mother even more worried, as _‘there's no way that a house that old could have any sort of luxuries. What about pâté?' _

Heather had just laughed a little until she realized that Veronica was serious. It's not a conversation anyone would particularly like to dwell on.

Driving cross country from Seattle to Ohio is, believe it or not, fairly boring. By the time she's halfway to her destination, she's seen countless McDonald's, drank an obscene amount of coffee, and slept in her car a total of four times. Five, if you didn't count the fact that it was day and she was stuck in three-hour traffic. 

To help conquer the boredom she was certain that she wouldn't have to face, Veronica decides to actually do some research on the place. It's not particularly comforting, but then again, she's lived in discomfort her entire life for various reasons and with various people, so what's one more?

> _"The Westerberg Mansion is considered one of the most haunted houses in the United States. People who live there never survive for long, as their body is either found dead by the edge of the woods or at the front of the local police station. Authorities say that the victims always appear to have killed themselves in various ways, despite some reportedly not showing any symptoms of suicidal ideation before going. Locals claim that the place is filled with ghosts, however, authorities are quick to disregard those beliefs, instead urging citizens to talk to a professional about how they may be feeling, as well as avoiding the Westerberg Mansion. So far, since the explosion of 1889, over 50 people have lost their lives."_

God, if Heather could see her now. 

Another thing about driving cross country, Veronica soon realizes, is that the combination of coffee, a hatred of speed limits, and the suffocating fear that this damned book will be all she has left will get you pulled over. Of course this would happen twenty minutes after she enters Ohio.

There's a knocking on her car window, and she jumps, focuses on the officer on the other side of the glass instead of her own self-destruction. She lowers the window while shuffling some cigarettes around in an attempt to find the registration that she doesn't even know if she has.

"License and registration, miss."

She lets out a laugh, voice hoarse. "Haven't been called that in a while."

She has the vague notion that maybe somewhere she could be used in a ‘No Smoking' campaign.

"Ronnie?"

Oh fuck no.

"Haven't been called that in a while, either. How are you, Kurt?" She says, turning to face her old high school sweetheart, smile neatly plastered on her face. She hands him her license and registration that had been shoved away in the glove compartment, ignoring the way his hands brush against hers.

She lets her eyes wander as he processes the fact that she's _actually here_. He's finally grown a proper beard, not the sorry excuse of one he had when they were just kids. He looks older than she thought he'd be, and there's a tan line on his hand where a wedding ring should lay.

_Who knew that Kurt had the capacity to settle down with a person,_ Veronica muses, _even if it was only temporary._

The man of the hour meets her gaze, clearly trying to decide how to act in front of her. She can practically see the cogs turning in his head, and she finds little pleasure in imagining what outcome he'll pick. 

Option 1) Appear as though she's just another person he's pulled over or Option B) Behave like the same old asshole that had thought he deserved a blowjob for simply existing.

He goes for a meld of the two, shuffling in a way that would have been charming if he wasn't a high school has been. "I'm alright, Ronnie. It's uh, it's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too, Kurt."

They stare at each other in a manner that would have been natural had their last exchange not consisted of him screaming obscenities and her punching him in the face. The glare of his badge hits her straight in the eyes, the words _Officer Kelly_ becoming an imprint in her head. 

When the _fuck_ did Kurt Kelly become more successful than her?

"So, uh, does this mean you're moving back? Me and the rest of the guys really missed having you around. We all thought that you left for good, you know?"

She averts his gaze, the conversation getting far too close to the past than what she's comfortable with.

"Kurt, I'd love to talk more, but I just want to know if I'm going to be getting a ticket or not."

"Veronica, you were going 40 miles above the speed limit, you're-" He stops himself, slowly leans in and rests his hand on the roof of her car. "Are you okay? You uh, you don't look so good."

And damn anyone who says she should have gotten over him faster. 

She forces the smile back onto her face, teeth gritted. She may still have an ounce of affection for him when he's not acting like an absolute asshole, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he's the one asking the question. Not Heather.

"I'm fine."

Kurt, to his credit, doesn't seem convinced. He does nothing about it, merely nodding, the memory of a furious Veronica Sawyer giving him more anxiety than he cares to admit.

"Okay."

She huffs out a sigh, chipping away at her already ruined nail polish. "So? Am I getting a ticket?"

"Wouldn't be right to give one to my prom date."

"Right. What's the catch, Kurt?"

He manages to look hurt- as if he wasn't the one who practically invented getting what he wanted.

"No catch, Ronnie. Just uh, if you're staying in town for a bit, you're always welcome at the Letterman. Me and the guys would really appreciate it."

Fuck.

She shifts away from him a tad, digs her nails into her jeans. 

He continues, seemingly unaware of her ever-present discomfort. "Do you know if Heather's coming too? Or Mac? They usually followed you around everywhere."

"They're not coming."

Silence again.

"So," she starts up, "I should get going if I want to beat the traffic."

Kurt lifts his head, gazes at the empty road ahead. "Right."

"Right."

"Well, it sure was good to see you again, Ronnie." He gives her one last lingering stare before heading back to his police car.

She looks back at him through the rearview mirror, the thought that she could have been married to that version of Kurt making her tense up for reasons she'll never say. Nevertheless, he gets in the car, turns on the engine, and leaves without a parting glance. 

Once Veronica is sure he's driven away, certain she'll never have to see him again, does she start up her car and drive.

And if anyone ever asks, the crescent-shaped marks on her thigh was just some freak accident.


	2. The Art of Shared Leftovers and Shattered TV’s

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon getting out of her car, Veronica has her first heart attack when she sees movement coming from a first-floor window nearly directly across from her. She has her second when she remembers that this place is a) severely haunted (supposedly), and b) completely abandoned (except for ghosts probably).

The next day proves to be better than the last, as Veronica scrounges up enough change to buy a $1 hamburger, as well as finally arrive in the small town of Handel, forty-five minutes away from her hometown. For a place that somewhat prides itself on harboring one of the most haunted houses in North America (according to CrazyHauntedHouses.com), there’s no people or cars in the streets. 

Part of her finds this comforting, the empty sidewalks just mean that she won’t be inspected by the townspeople, verbally dissected inside and out. 

The much larger part of her is terrified because _holy shit_ this is like every horror movie that ever existed, and there’s no way in hell that she’s going to die in a town that doesn’t even have a 24-hour gas station. __

_ __ _

It takes longer than she thought to find the mansion, the GPS taking her down far too many backroads and “shortcuts” for her to make steady progress. It isn’t until she’s turning onto a path that leads her into a forest does she start to think that maybe this whole thing wasn’t thought through enough. The further she goes into the woods, the denser it becomes. The pathways quickly turn narrower, and there’s more than a few times where she is certain that there’s absolutely no way that her car will fit between the trees.

_ __ _

Her car makes it through every time, and if that’s not a sign that she should keep going, Veronica doesn’t know what is.

_ __ _

By the time that she gets to the entranceway of the mansion, the sun is almost ready to set. Mosquitos practically surround her car, and if she never has to drive anywhere again she’ll be a very happy woman.

_ __ _

“Holy shit.” She breathes out, after actually getting a good view of the place she’s spent days trying to get to.

_ __ _

Point blank, Veronica thinks it’s one of the ugliest buildings she’s ever seen, and yes, that includes her grandparent's house during the holidays. It’s a three-story at least, and it’s nearly completely covered in ivy. There’s a porch with a rocking chair, and an extremely unnerving shed a bit to the right of the mansion. The fact that there was an explosion over 100 years ago is quite obvious, despite the obvious attempts of remodeling. 

_ __ _

The roof with three different sets of tiles and the electric blue shutters can’t quite hide the singed grass, or that there’s a Memoriam for those lost in front of the porch. 

_ __ _

Upon getting out of her car, Veronica has her first heart attack when she sees movement coming from a first-floor window nearly directly across from her. She has her second when she remembers that this place is a) severely haunted (supposedly), and b) completely abandoned (except for ghosts probably).

_ __ _

For a moment, the retired writer considers heading back home. Telling her mother yes, she’ll visit her this weekend, and no, the neighbors are not purposefully being loud. That thought is gone as soon as it came. Just the idea of having to eat pâté one more time makes Veronica feel nauseous.

_ __ _

The movement repeats itself, reappears closer to the front door. She holds in a scream, clutching her duffel bag a bit tighter.

_ __ _

A man steps outside of the house, wearing one of the most faded flannels she’s ever seen. He has a tool belt around his waist, his hand resting on the hammer. Her fear does not lessen. If anything, it increases tenfold. 

_ __ _

But then he smiles. “Uh, hey.” 

_ __ _

She swallows. “Hey.”

_ __ _

“What are you doing out here?”

_ __ _

“I'm....here to write a book?”

_ __ _

_Oh, Jesus Christ.___

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

He can’t seem to choose what expression to settle on, his eyebrows crinkling.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“A book?”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“A book.” She asserts, having half a mind to take out the only semi-decent review of her writing she’d ever had the heart to read from her wallet and wave it in front of his face.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

Heather was always too good for her.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“Could’ve called before. Given me some notice.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“The website didn’t say anyone lived here. Besides, I don’t even know who you are.” Distrust starts to grow, despite Veronica’s best efforts to quell it. Who the hell does this guy think he is? 

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

He laughs a little, throws his head back. “The website. You mean that crappy haunted houses shit? Yeah, no wonder you’re here.” 

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

He narrows his eyes, seemingly deep in thought. Like he’s seeing something she’s incapable of. It leaves as quickly as it comes, and he walks down the steps of the porch, giving such a brief glance to the memorial sign that Veronica is certain she didn’t see it. The stranger comes closer to her and extends a hand.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“I’m Jason Dean, by the way. JD, for short.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“JD,” She says, testing out the name as she shakes his hand. “I’m Veronica. Sawyer.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

His hair falls in front of his face, and she swears at that moment that she’s seen god. Veronica suddenly finds herself praying that he doesn’t notice her chipped nail polish and the hole in her sweater.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“So,” he starts up again, giving her a quick once over. “What’s this book going to be about? I’ll need to know if you’re going to be taking pictures, or want a tour of the place. It’s haunted, you know.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

He has the nerve to wink at her and make her feel a bit more human.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“I haven’t worked out all the details yet.” She admits, trying her best not to savor the way his eyes soften.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

She likes to think that maybe he can sense that this is all she has left.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“Come with me.” He says, before gesturing her to follow him down a pathway next to the shed.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

And so she does. Jogging a bit to match his pace, Veronica pushes down the fear that maybe this whole thing was a mistake, and instead focuses her energy on the fact that she’s putting her entire life in the hands of a man she met five seconds ago.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

Holy shit.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

Desperately salvaging her response as to not seem like a complete failure, she continues. “I’ve done some research though. There was an explosion in 1889, people seem to kill themselves here, things like that.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

His gaze grows more intense, and he stops in his tracks, Veronica doing the same.

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

“You plan on becoming one of them?”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

Her mouth dries. “And if I was?”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

JD tilts his head, staring at her all the while. “I think,” he says slowly, as though his response actually needs to be thought out instead of just calling a hotline. “I think I’d make us some coffee, and then we’d talk about it.”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

She’s stunned, to say the least. “Talk about it?”

_ _ _ __ _ _ _

He looks at her like _she’s_ the crazy one.__

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah. What, were you expecting that I’d just let you go through with it?”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

She stammers out some response that neither of them can comprehend, before she decides to keep going down the trail, forcing him to resume walking with her. 

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

Despite the nightmarish mansion, the actual woods aren’t all that bad. They’re almost cozy, and Veronica can just imagine the number of weddings that would be performed here if it wasn’t the site of mosquitos and ghosts and multiple suicides, that is. At least the venue would be cheap.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“So where are we going, anyway?”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

He gives her that same look as before; like he can’t believe that someone is actually with him.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“To the cabin, where I live. It’s up just ahead. I’m starving, and I figured that we should talk about this whole thing before anything happens, preferably over some food.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

Apparently, now that she’s found someone to talk to, Veronica can’t quite seem to stop herself from speaking. She adjusts the duffel bag digging in her shoulder, purposely ignoring the sweat that forms when the realization that _she’s here_ hits her. “Okay, but why pick the cabin? Wouldn’t it just be easier to live in the mansion?”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“The main house is haunted, it used to be a schoolhouse in the 1800s. Plus, the stairs creak. Less than before I fixed them, but it’s still annoying.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“So, what? You’re trying to fix this place?”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah. That’s my job, to restore older buildings. To be honest, when I first saw you I thought that someone in your family was going to be the owner.” 

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

She huffs out a laugh, “I wish. No, uh, I’m a reporter, actually. I’m taking a break though, to write the book.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“Something tells me it’s about haunted houses.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“How’d you guess?” She says wryly, and he smirks in response.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“Call it intuition.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

Veronica manages a smile, her heart suddenly sinking. When she made the decision to come here, she thought that the only life she had the potential to make worse was just her own, not some random guy who clearly has a soul. 

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

She clears her throat, starts walking a bit slower. “This must be weird. I’m sorry, I didn’t know anyone was living here. I can just-”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s alright, I can understand the confusion. I was out of town when they decided to do a story on the place, that’s why most people who read the article think it’s abandoned. Besides, I don’t mind the company.”

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

She doesn’t know what to say to that and chooses instead to keep in step with JD.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“So, this is it,” He announces, gesturing at the cabin in front of them.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

It’s small, smaller than she honestly expected. Like it was more of an afterthought than anything else. Despite that, it actually looks warm and snug, and Veronica can already see herself sitting on the couch, drinking some coffee and-

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

“Sorry, it’s not much,” He continues, “But hey, it’s home.” Opening the door he holds it open for her as she steps inside.

_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _

_He’s right,_ she decides, _it’s not much_. Just a couch, a table filled to the brim with books and blueprints, some chairs, and a tiny TV that’s been shot, the screen a mosaic of cracks and missing pieces of glass. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“So,” JD starts, clapping his hands together before placing his tool belt on a stray chair. “My room is there,” he says, pointing. “There’s a guest room across from it, the bathroom connects the two. There’s the kitchen, the couch. Home sweet home.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She manages to nod, looking anywhere but at him and the bullet lodged in the TV.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I know what you’re thinking, but it was like that when I first came. I’m not much of a TV person, that’s why I haven’t replaced it. Don’t worry, I’m not insane or anything.” He explains, already going over to the kitchen, gazing at his fairly empty fridge.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, I wasn’t, I-...shit.” She mutters, before placing her duffel beside the couch.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Hey, is Chinese okay? It’s just leftovers, but I can reheat them.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He takes the leftovers out of the fridge, pours them into separate bowls, and places them into the microwave. The smell of day-old chicken and rice fills the air, and JD hands her a wine glass and a plastic fork. They end up sitting on his couch, neither of them quite willing to risk the avalanche by moving any of the items on the table. Staring at the shattered TV, Veronica doesn’t quite know how to break the silence.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Luckily for her, JD apparently does.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why haunted houses?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ah, the million-dollar question. If only she had an actual answer, one that didn’t end with her getting so drunk that can barely remember her own name.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh. Um, I just wanted to take a break,” she swallows, nearly choking on a piece of chicken. “Everything was just getting to be too much ...My coworkers won't see it that way, though.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Why not?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I uh, I just left my job. I didn’t give any warning, either. I just...left.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He hums, picking at his food more than eating it. “Well, if it’s any help, I’m glad that you did.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She blushes and refuses to look at him, holding on to what little dignity she has left.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Thanks.” She pauses, and then, “You’re the first person that’s said that since I made the decision.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Really?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Yeah. I mean, my ex said that he was glad but he’s an ex for a reason, so….”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

JD might be the only person she’s ever talked to that doesn’t push her for an explanation. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know, I could always give you a tour tomorrow if you’d like. I finally got the first floor looking semi-decent, so you can take as many pictures as you want, I don’t mind.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, uh yeah, that’d be great, thank you. And thank you for the food, you didn’t have to do that.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Of course I did.” He gives Veronica a sad smile; like he can see right through her. It doesn’t disturb her like it normally would; like it should, and she gives him a smile in return.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Something in the air shifts and Veronica suddenly feels the beginnings of peace. She can make it here, all she has to do is try.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

JD rises to place his empty plate at the sink, taking hers after a moment. She follows, wine glasses in hand, and puts them at the sink per his request. He laughs at himself, catching his reflection in the window.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“God, no wonder you were so hesitant to come with me.” He says, brushing some stray dirt off his face.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Veronica bites her tongue, determined not to say anything that would embarrass her further.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s getting pretty late,” he remarks, resuming his washing of the dishes. “You can spend the night here if you want, in the guest bedroom.” 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She’s been given more acts of kindness from him in the last hour than anyone else has in the past year. It’s harder than she thought to keep her tears at bay. She nods in response.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Great. Oh, and the locks are kind of broken in the bathroom so make sure to knock.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sounds doable.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sure it will be. By the way, we’re going to have to get to Westerberg pretty early in the morning, I’m thinking around 5:30. The ghosts don’t start bothering me usually until more towards the afternoon.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What do you mean, bothering?” She asks, slowly walking back to her duffel bag.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Just making things float, writing ominous messages on the wall, things like that. They haven’t been violent for a while now, so we should be fine.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Veronica pulls out her notepad and begins writing down what her new friend(?), roommate (?) has to say.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Violent?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

JD places the last of the dishes away, glancing around to make sure he didn’t forget anything. “I once had a hammer thrown at my head when I started painting the walls. It missed me by an inch.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He turns around, sees her writing. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Guess I should say if things are off the record, huh?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Veronica snaps her head up. “Sorry?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He waves a hand dismissively, starts walking to the bathroom. “It’s fine. Just ask next time. Anyways, I’m going to take a shower, get all this dust off me, but my home is your home, so feel free to turn on the radio, go to sleep, whatever.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“JD-”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The man of the hour, once again, turns around. “Yeah?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I...nevermind.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Tilting his head slightly, he waits a moment, and then enters his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Feeling more exhausted than she has in months, she follows his lead, heading into her own room. Ignoring the fake flowers and wallpaper that was most certainly put up by someone’s grandma, she puts her duffel bag next to the bed, changes out of the clothes she’s worn for the past two days, and collapses on the bed.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She has the stray thought that maybe she should buy a construction hat to better prepare herself for flying hammers before the sound of the shower running and faint singing lulls her into a deep sleep.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!! Thank you all for your lovely comments, and I hope that you are having marvelous days!! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to let me know!! :)
> 
> (Also for whatever reason I struggled with the ending of this chapter, so if any parts seemed forced or out of character I am very sorry)


	3. The Art of Coffee and Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s really nothing of significance about the room until she snaps a picture, a red and white blurred outline of a person appearing in the lens.

“Are you decent? I have coffee.”

The first coherent thought that Veronica has upon waking up is that her roommate must be immortal. A smile on his face, and two coffee cups in hand, he looks more awake than she has any hope of being.

“Wha’?”

He laughs a little at her, the corners of his mouth rising. He’s beautiful. Like carved out marble. He seems untouchable. Unfaded.

“Not a morning person, I take it?”

She glares at him in reply but accepts the steaming mug of coffee nonetheless. 

“I’m planning on leaving in thirty minutes if you still want to join me. I put some extra towels in the bathroom in case you want to take a shower, by the way.”

Yeah, that’s definitely the most polite someone has ever let her know that she reeks of cigarettes and fast food.

“Thanks.” Taking a long sip of her coffee, she stretches slightly while getting out of the bed. 

“I’ll leave you to it then,” JD says before giving her two-finger salute and closing the door behind him.

It doesn’t take Veronica as long as she thought it would getting ready, the feeling that she was actually _excited_ about something again holding much more precedent than if she uses the fancy rose-scented shampoo that Heather had insisted she have. Despite that, the ability to have a real shower instead of winging it in a fast-food bathroom is quite possibly one of the best experiences Veronica has ever had.

Hair dripping wet, she drinks her slightly luke-warm coffee, before putting on one of the last clean clothes that she has stashed in her duffel bag. Camera and notepad in hand, she leaves her garish guest room and heads into the kitchen, accepting a piece of toast that her temporary roommate offers her.

“She’s alive!” He exclaims, grinning at her eye roll.

She can’t quite hide her amusement though, and a smile creeps up on her face despite herself. “Thanks to your coffee, I am. Are we heading out soon?”

“Yeah, just about. I’m going to be working on patching up a couple of the walls today, maybe paint them if I get the time to. I’ll give you the tour before all that though, so don’t worry.”

“Okay.” She pauses for a moment, takes a bite of her toast.

“What?”

“Nothing, just,...You said that you wanted to go early so the ghosts won’t bother you.”

“Right.” He answers, clearly wondering what the hell she’s getting at.

“But won’t they notice that you’re not alone? I’m going to be taking pictures and writing notes all day, it won’t be very subtle.”

JD shrugs and puts his toolbelt on. “They’ll probably realize that you’re there, but they won’t do anything about it initially. They’re going to want to figure you out first before they do anything; most of them, at least.”

She nods, not quite knowing what to say.

The pair heads out a few moments later, after a quick look around the cabin to make sure that they didn’t forget anything per JD’s insistence. Apparently having to go back to get something will only give the ghosts more time to barricade them out.

They arrive at the mansion soon enough, spending most of the walk in silence; JD planning out his day while Veronica takes as many pictures as she can without her companion having to wait up for her.

The mansion seems more ominous than Veronica ever remembered it being yesterday, the ivy covering the house acting like a shield, and for a split second, she understands why everyone was so scared when she announced that she was going to be staying at the Westerberg mansion. 

Coming up to the front door of the house, Veronica steels herself right before they step inside, somewhat ducking behind JD in an attempt to survive should any flying objects go near her.

Nothing happens when he opens the door, and, fear and anticipation steadily rising, Veronica finally gets to see the inside of the building her roommate has been working so hard on in all its glory.

“Holy shit.” She breathes out, standing in the entranceway of the house.

“Holy shit is right. Place has been abandoned for at least 100 years. Not including the suicide cases, or the occasional homeless person.” He says, shutting the door behind him with a loathsome creak.

“It’s gorgeous!” She exclaims, dusting her hands over a table filled to the brim with fresh flowers. 

Her companion raises an eyebrow and watches her explore the place, no doubt some inkling of pride rising in him. After all, the people that end up here never really pay much notice to the new wallpaper, or the restored chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and they certainly never take note of the lilacs scattered around.

Coming across some pictures, she turns to him. “1889. Are these the-”

He nods. She frowns.

“The explosion happened in the basement. No survivors,” he breathes out; as if the tragedy was something he was intimately a part of. “I haven’t fixed that part as well as I’ve wanted too, but you can go ahead and look around if you’d like.”

The smile grows back on her face. “That’d be amazing. Thank you.”

He motions for her to follow him, and leads her through a door in the back of the forway, walks down a staircase. Spiderwebs decorate the walls, and, if she focuses hard enough, Veronica can swear that she hears someone muttering.

“Have you ever actually seen any of the ghosts?” She asks, coughing slightly as dust flies through the air.

“Not yet. I don’t think I’m worthy enough.” He laughs a little. “I don’t mind though, it makes my job a lot easier.”

Veronica hums. “I’m sure.” 

The basement isn’t as nightmare-inducing as Veronica had thought that it would be. JD had clearly worked on this area enough so that it’s livable, some well-needed light-bulbs placed on the walls. There are no bloodstains either, no obvious signs that this was the pressure point of a mass suicide. She can’t imagine what the basement must have looked like when he first started here, and she has an immense burst of appreciation for him.

“It’s probably not the best place to start the tour,” JD admits, stepping over a well-placed mouse trap. “Every time I try to get some more work done the ghosts have a field day.”

“That’s okay, I don’t mind.”

She writes a couple of notes down, observations about the room. It’s not even styled like a traditional basement, the room appears more like an empty lower level of the house, with a few scattered lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling, mouse traps on the floor, and some extra construction supplies stashed away in the nearest corner.

There’s really nothing of significance about the room until she snaps a picture, a red and white blurred outline of a person appearing in the lens.

Veronica freezes, mouth instantly dry. 

This is real. This isn’t some half-assed up cash grab scheme that her family thinks it is, some way that she can finally get her fifteen minutes of fame. There’s an actual ghost in front of Veronica, and as she lowers her camera the air in the room chills.

JD rests a hand on her shoulder and she jumps, not fully certain that she’s not about to be the next victim in the house.

“You okay?” He asks, voice low. 

Her eyes are wide, and when she opens her mouth to try to explain that _there’s a fucking ghost right in front of them_, nothing comes out. Veronica hands him her camera and tries her best to ignore the fact that his hands are smudging the lens.

His eyes narrow when he looks at the image before slowly looking back at her, finally seeing that their breath is appearing like clouds, her previously damp hair beginning to freeze. JD steps closer to Veronica, hands her back the camera before whispering in her ear that they should go, clearly taking the approach that it’s better to be safe than sorry regarding the undead.

Veronica hesitates for a moment, curiosity latching onto her like a leech. It isn’t until she really looks at JD, and the fact that he has his eyes trained on the spot where the ghost is, muscles tense like he’s about to jump in front of her or something equally stupid; does she grab a hold of his arm and walk back up the stairs with him. Once they make it to the first floor, she shuts the door behind them, and JD locks it after producing a key ring hooked to his tool belt.

He doesn’t settle down right away, rubbing the back of his neck in a clear attempt to calm himself. Veronica has the strange sense that she’s the first person to see him this agitated in years, and finds herself at somewhat at a loss as to how to help him.

“Um, you okay?” She winces right after she says it, internally dying.

He huffs out a laugh, relishing in the fact that he can’t see his breath. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m alright, sorry. It’s just, when it didn’t seem to be moving I figured things were going to take a turn for the worst. That’s what happened last time, at least.”

JD’s face darkens, and he admittedly looks less attractive than he was before, the palpable disgust not doing him any favors.

“Oh.”

He shakes his head, clearing whatever memory that he was trapped in. He places a neat smile on his face, a picture-perfect grin and faces her. “Well, that didn’t go the way I thought it would, but things never really happen like you’d expect them to, here.”

JD must sense her unease, once again being more in tune with her thoughts than she anticipated, as he begins the tour of the first floor, making sure to point out the various pictures on the walls and old memorabilia scattered around the mansion.

He doesn’t seem to mind the millions of pictures she takes, or that the fact that she asks questions about every new thing she sees. It’s almost like he’s welcoming the never-ending conversation, and, for the first time in far too long, Veronica feels like some part of her matters.

They eventually decide to sit on the porch, him wanting some fresh air before the only thing he’ll be able to breathe will be paint fumes, and her desperately needing a cigarette. It’s so serene that the whole thing almost feels fake, and Veronica is nearly pinching herself, wishing in some twisted way that Heather was here just so that she could tell her old friend to go fuck herself.

“So there’s three floors, right?”

“Four technically, if we’re counting the basement. The first floor and the basement are pretty much livable, all the flooring’s been replaced, and as far as I know, all the mold is gone.”

“How long did that take to finish?”

“Over a year. I might have finished parts of it sooner, but people come here more often than I thought they would. Case in point.” he says, gesturing to her.

She huffs out a laugh before rolling her eyes, scribbles some notes down. “Why did you pick this mansion to work on? There have to be easier projects to work on than this.”

He raises an eyebrow at that, shedding his jacket off, the day had been warmer than the pair had expected. “I thought that this book was supposed to be about the house.”

She takes a drag of her half-finished cigarette, watches the rise and fall of his chest before answering. “It is.”

“Almost every single question you’ve asked in the last hour has ended up with more answers about me than Westerberg.”

Damnit, he noticed.

“Well, I could say the same for you.”

He laughs at that, throws his head back. “I’m not the one writing a book about this place though, am I?”

She shakes her head, taking another hit of her cigarette. This man will be the death of her, she’s sure of it. Even so, she can’t help but smile at him, feeling more well-rested and at peace then she has in months and wants nothing more than to encapsulate this feeling, to bottle it up and store it for days when everything inevitably falls apart.

He checks his watch and stands up, brushes the front of his jeans before picking up his jacket. “I think that now is a good of a time as any for me to start getting to work. You can join me if you want, just know that the whole place is going to smell like paint.”

“That’s okay, I should start piecing my notes together.”

He nods, watches her extinguish her cigarette before opening up the pack again, lighting up another one.

“I’ll see you soon then, once I’m done we can go out and get lunch somewhere.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice. I didn’t really get a chance to explore the town yesterday.”

“Perfect,” he says, and heads back inside the mansion, shutting the door behind him and leaving Veronica alone with her thoughts.

Sorting her observations proves to be impossible, her head swimming with pictures of the dead and the renovations after the fatal explosion. It doesn’t help that she feels like she’s missing something about the house, something so vital to the history of the place that it’s nearly tangible. Especially considering that the only real proof she has that ghosts are part of the mansion’s framework is a shape that seems more like a blur than someone that used to be a person. 

That thought alone is enough of a persuader for her to get up and finish what she started. She enters the house again, walks past JD who has his back to her, listening to blaring jazz music. True to his word, he’s painting the walls, and Veronica can reflexively hear the lecture her mother had given her years ago about the differences between eggshell and off-white.

It’s almost too easy to take the keyring that lays discarded on top of JD’s jacket, and she waits for the guilt to come. It never does.

Opening the door to the basement, Veronica hesitates for a split second, about to call for him to come with her. She shuts her mouth at the last possible moment, straightens her spine and heads down the steps, determined in some sick way to prove that she can do what JD couldn’t. 

The curiosity that engulfed her before is back in full force, and she can’t quite hide the smile creeping up on her face.

Turning the lights back on, Veronica looks around the room for any irregularities, any sign that she’s about to receive a hammer to the skull. There are no obvious differences, the mouse traps are the same, the extra supplies are still there, the lightbulbs are still hanging from the ceiling.

She’s so immersed in figuring out what freaked JD about the room, that she almost misses the fact that she can’t feel her fingers.

Raising her camera again in the same spot as before, Veronica takes another photo, fear crawling up her throat. She takes a deep breath, steadying herself before looking at the image in front of her.

A scream tumbles out of her mouth, her eyes wide.

The ghost must be right in front of her, the picture revealing a close up of a teenage girl with blue stained teeth, an emotionless smile resting on her face, her eyes cold. The girl is scary in a way that only teenagers can be, and Veronica can already imagine the ghost coming up with a hundred different ways to insult her and ruin her life.

Veronica hugs her jacket tighter against her, goosebumps erupting on her arms, though if it’s because of the cold or the look in the ghost’s eyes in the picture, she can’t say.

Fueled by fear, she makes the ill-fated decision to get in contact with the ghost, having half a mind to see if she could find a Ouija board. “Hello?”

The ex-teenager doesn’t respond, and Veronica can’t help but huff out a sigh, a mixture of intense relief and disappointment making a home in her head. And yet, despite the deafening silence, if she concentrates hard enough, she can swear that she hears it moving around, just waiting for the right time to strike. 

“Veronica?” JD calls; his footsteps above her, no doubt hearing the scream and wondering where she went. He may have patched up the walls and replaced the flooring, but he didn’t do shit for the insulation, his voice coming in clear as a bell.

_Fuck_.

Veronica turns to go, at the moment more scared of how he’ll react if he finds out she was down here than the ghost almost certainly lingering in the room if the persistent cold is anything to go by.

Just as she opens the door to get back on the first floor and make sure she doesn’t have frostbite, laughter erupts from the corner of the room.

Veronica’s heart leaps in her throat as she refuses to accept what is happening. The laughter trickles away, and for a brief moment, she can believe that maybe this is all in her head.

And then, in a voice that sounds much rougher than a ghost’s should be, “See you soon, _Veronica_.”

If Veronica hadn’t ran from the basement a second after she heard the voice, she would have noticed a teenage girl dressed in red, standing at the bottom of the steps and waving goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! First off I just wanted to apologize for how long this chapter took to write, but I hope that the wait is worth it!!
> 
> Also thank you guys so much for all of your thoughtful comments and kudos!! They mean a lot :)
> 
> As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, or suggestions, feel free to let me know!! Have a beautiful freaking day 💙


	4. Of Sage and Salt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who is she anyway? The ghost?”
> 
> “Her name is Heather Chandler.” JD states, not at all sounding as solemn as she expected. “She killed herself before the explosion by drinking some sort of poison. Now that I think about it, that’s probably why her mouth is stained in your photo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who’s back, back again? 
> 
> That’s right, I’m still here! I cannot apologize enough for how long it took for me to post this chapter, seasonal depression and my classes have been kicking my ass.
> 
> That being said, I also cannot thank you all enough for being so patient, and for all of your wonderful comments and kudos. Your support means so much to me, and I hope that you know that. :)
> 
> You all are fantastic, and I hope that you enjoy the next chapter!! It is the longest chapter that I’ve written so far, and hopefully it will be worth the wait. 💙

Veronica never really noticed the height difference between her and JD until she crashed into him, nearly knocking them both over, the top of her head barely reaching his collarbone. He grabs her shoulders in an attempt to steady them both, taking a few steps back. They’re both panting, and seem as unsure as the other on how to proceed.

“Figured you’d be here,” he huffs out, once the two of them are steady. “Are you alright?” He asks, his eyes scanning her body in a clear attempt to see if she’s hurt. There’s paint splattered on his cheek, droplets in his hair. He must have been in a rush to find her, but Veronica finds little effort to care.

She swallows, digs her nails into her arm, creasing her jacket, not quite sure she can even admit what she came so close to. “Yeah.”

He cocks an eyebrow at that, gestures vaguely to the basement door. “You want to tell me what you were doing down there?”

Veronica blanches, somehow hoping that he wouldn’t ask the one question she has no idea how to answer. “Just doing some research.”

“Research,” he repeats, tone dry. “So that’s why you stole my keys behind my back?”

Her eyes widen, and she hurriedly makes sure that the door is closed behind her before pulling the key back out and locking it. She has the vague notion that a locked door won’t be able to stop the eternally teenage ghost, but really, what else can she do?

JD extends his hand, and without a second to spare Veronica drops the keyring in his palm, wanting nothing more than to avoid that damned basement for as long as possible.

He pockets the keys, sighing slightly. “Look, if you saw something, or anything like that, I hope you know that you can tell me. I’m the last person who could possibly judge you for that.”

She plasters on a smile, carrying on the conversation like she did with Kurt, like she always does when the air can’t quite reach her lungs. “Right. Well, I should go, lots of notes to write-”

“Why were you running?”

He can pretend all he wants, but he’s not going to let this go, is he? Her new roommate really would fit right in with her remaining friends.

“I just saw some mice. They scared me.” The lie tastes heavy in her mouth, the air thick. She wonders how he doesn’t notice.

“Right.” he drawls, eyes steady. 

“Right.”

She shifts a little, the constant eye-contact and conversations she seems to have with him suddenly draining her more than she thought they ever would. He must sense some of this, as he begins heading back into the living room, Veronica walking along at a steady pace.

“You take any more pictures?” He asks, gesturing vaguely to her camera. 

“Oh, um, no, not really.”

“Not really?”

“Nothing important.”

“You won’t mind if I look at them, then? If there’s mice like you said, then there must be a crevice I haven’t noticed that they’re using to come in. “

Her mouth dries, and _Jesus_, she’d do anything for a cigarette right now, or better yet, a bottle of Vodka, something to just make her _forget_. “It’s not a big deal, I mean, I haven’t- it’s not-”

_ _ __ _ _

“What’s really going on, Veronica?” he sighs, stopping in his tracks, his hands in his jeans pockets. They’ve reached the front of the house, right around where JD was working, the living room nearly acting as a backdrop. She’s able to see the evidence of the mess she created, a wall half painted, a line stopped mid-stroke. JD luckily had the sense to cover the floor and pieces of furniture with tarp, but it didn’t seem to save everything, case in point as eggshell paint slowly drips from an antique vase.

_ _ __ _ _

Maybe it’s because of this that she deflates, collapses in on herself as she stands in front of JD. “I got a picture. Of the ghost from before. She knows my name, thanks to you.”

_ _ __ _ _

He freezes, not unlike he did before earlier that day in the basement. “What do you mean?”

_ _ __ _ _

“I don’t know,” Veronica sighs. She’s been done with this conversation before it even started. “It’s some teenage girl, I guess. Her teeth are blue.”

_ _ __ _ _

“Can I see?”

_ _ __ _ _

She’s about to say _no_, he has no right seeing the picture she took, no right to see the evidence that this is real and not some sort of fever dream, no right to see what is certainly going to haunt her nightmares- but then she looks at his face. And he looks so worried, _really_ worried, like all of this was never meant to happen, like some horrible mistake has been made and there’s almost no way to stop it.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

She hands him her camera, taking note of the way he’s so _careful_, his fingers don’t brush against hers, there’s no body heat exchanged, no longing glances, and it’s so unlike Kurt that she can’t help but make the connection.

_ _ __ _ _

_ __ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ __ _

_ _ __ _ _

JD’s frown deepens significantly, his eyes narrowing as he looks at the image in front of him.

_ _ __ _ _

_It’s as if he’s seen a ghost,_ Veronica thinks to herself, snorting. 

_ _ __ _ _

He gives her a puzzled glance before handing her camera back and grabbing his jacket from the floor, gesturing for her to follow him outside. “Do you want to get lunch?” He asks, not really leaving room for a no when he locks the front door after she steps outside, and starts up his old truck that’s right next to her car.

_ _ __ _ _

__

_ _ __ _ _

She blinks before following him, side-steps a discarded slushie on the ground, and enters the truck. “Sure?”

_ _ __ _ _

They end up driving in silence, opting to listen to some random rock station religiously playing songs from the ‘80s as opposed to actually speaking. It’s the first time since she’s gotten here that she finds herself not wanting to talk to him, though, given that she’s only known him for a day and a half, isn’t as impressive as she’d like it to be. It certainly doesn’t help that it takes ages to get out of the woods, JD seemingly taking extra care on the gravel roads than she would even consider doing. Logically, she knows that it’s much smarter for him to be cautious, god knows it would hell if one of the tires burst, but the slow roll of gravel does nothing to calm down her worry about her ghost, the knowledge that she’ll always be watched at the house sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

_ _ __ _ _

It isn’t until they reach the clearing of the woods to return back to civilization, does JD cast a glance at her before opening his mouth.

_ _ __ _ _

“So,” he starts, suddenly much more professional than she’s ever seen him be, his back straightening in the driver’s seat, “I should tell you about the ghost- the one you took a picture of, that is.”

_ _ __ _ _

“You mean the one that knows my name because of you?”

_ _ __ _ _

JD grimaces, and tightens his grip on the steering wheel, pointedly staring at the empty road ahead, his jaw clenched. “It wasn’t intentional.” he huffs.

_ _ __ _ _

Veronica rolls her eyes regardless. “Right.”

_ _ __ _ _

“Look, if it helps, she knows my name, too. My first and last, and now she probably knows my nickname, which only makes it worse for me. But look, that's beside the point. You definitely got her attention with your photo- which I know isn’t your fault, I should have warned you more, I get that,” JD hastily adds before Veronica can protest, raising one of his hands placatingly.

_ _ __ _ _

He takes a deep breath before continuing, and Veronica can’t tell if it’s to calm himself down or to give her a second to process everything. “She’s going to take more of an interest in you, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it just means that we’re going to have to be more careful. She’s one of the more powerful ghosts in the house, so we’ll definitely need to get you some form of protection before going back inside.”

_ _ __ _ _

Veronica stays frozen for a beat, trying her best to accept what’s happening. This isn’t at all what she had in mind when she decided to come to this town, to visit the house; certainly not what she thought would happen when she accepted this man’s invitation to stay with him. She picks at her nail polish when the quiet becomes oppressive, JD apparently opting to give her silence to process everything; something that she would normally be grateful for. Instead, she focuses on his hands on the steering wheel, the barely-there scruff on his jaw, the way his hair keeps falling in his face, instead of drowning in the fact that she is completely screwed.

_ _ __ _ _

They finally make it into the town, much to Veronica’s relief, especially when JD mutters that the restaurant isn’t too far away. Seeing the town in daylight as opposed to when the sun is down is remarkably different, the sidewalks practically bursting with couples and families walking around and shopping. It’s so picturesque and bright that it nearly makes her eyes hurt, this town is everything she tried to get away from when she left Sherwood, and it makes her skin crawl to be back.

_ _ __ _ _

JD manages to find an empty space to park the truck, the fact that it’s a Tuesday doing nothing to stop the steady stream of people all around the town. “We’re here,” he announces to Veronica, and waits to fully get out of the car until she undoes her seatbelt and opens the car door.

_ _ __ _ _

He leads her to the Blue Lilac Diner across the street, and it must be the black sheep of the town, the paint chipping off of the walls, the awning displayed with a massive hole in the middle, hell, even the sidewalk is cracked in front of the entrance. They’re not even inside yet, and already they can smell a mix of blueberry pie and cigarette smoke, can see the “OPEN” sign sputtering neon and promises of fresh coffee.

_ _ __ _ _

JD holds the door open for her to step inside, a decision he regrets only a second later when Veronica is subject to the usual cacophony that greets him, _‘Hey Jason’_, and _‘Long time no see’_ erupting the second they get inside the building.

_ _ __ _ _

___ _He walks with Veronica towards the hostess and her stand, gives her an easy smile. “Miss me?” He asks her, his tone teasing, clearly familiar with her._ _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Always,” The hostess purrs, the name ‘Whitney’ written on her faded nametag. She seems older than Veronica and JD, though it’s hard to tell with all the makeup she’s wearing, her eyeliner sharper than Veronica’s nails. She’s putting on airs despite the fact that there’s somehow eggshell in her hair. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Jay. Danny and I even started a bet on when you’d come back.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica gives him a questioning glance, trying to decide how he fits in at this place. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD runs a hand through his hair, winks at Whitney who smirks right back. “I told everyone I’d be holed up at the house for longer than usual. Not my fault none of you listened.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Well next time let me know sooner, sugar. Thanks to you, I owe Danny $20. I bet you wouldn’t be back ‘til another week.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “Will do. Now are you going to give us a table or not?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The hostess hums, eyes JD and Veronica in a way that makes them both blush. “Table for two, I’m assuming?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica nods, and a sharp grin forms on Whitney’s face as she turns to look at JD. “Wondered why you were gone for so long,” she drawls, a hint of a southern accent coming through, before grabbing two menus and heading towards an empty table._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _They arrive at a table in the middle of the restaurant covered in crayon markings and drawings; a crude drawing of a dinosaur lays right beside Veronica’s water glass. She traces the picture with her finger, observes the others in the diner while doing her best to avoid the stares and whispers of the cooks and waitresses, the news that JD wasn’t alone spreading like wildfire._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Of course the one day the whole town gets to judge her, she’s wearing the jacket she’s worn ever since she left her apartment, a shirt that she’s had since high school, _Go Rottweilers_ nearly illegible now after being put in the wash too many times, and her hair a tangled mess. Jesus, she’s amazed JD even thought it was a good idea for her to be seen in public._ __

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Heather and Mac would have been ashamed. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Don’t worry about them,” JD says, voice low, his words clearly just meant for her, his head tilted down, and for a second Veronica is certain that he can read her mind. “Whitney and them will back off, they’re just excited.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _They don’t talk for a while after that, Veronica choosing to pretend to be in deep thought over the menu while JD fiddles with the salt shaker across from her, eyes scanning the restaurant, giving quick waves and nods here and there when he recognizes someone. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The diner has cheap chairs, the kind where over half the vinyl has been ripped and torn from the seats, either by accident or by little kids. It makes Veronica squirm, the feeling like she’s sinking into the chair only reminding her why her parents would never allow her to go to these types of places when she was a child. They remind her of counting loose change in her car to make sure she had enough money for a container of small fries or a milkshake, remind her of bumming cigarettes off of men old enough to be her father. They remind her of Heather picking at her food, only to go to the bathroom and end up vomiting it all up._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“You know, they serve all-day breakfast here.” JD remarks, as if this is just another day._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah,” Veronica responds, flipping a page of the seemingly endless menu, wincing when she touches something sticky on the lamination. “I heard.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _It isn’t until their waitress comes by, a young girl that’s practically sunshine incarnate stops at their table, the name ‘Charlie’ written in sprawling cursive on her name-tag, that Veronica looks up from the menu. She fills their water glasses, nearly overflowing Veronica’s cup as she studies her, clearly trying to figure out why JD brought her to the diner. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Charlie leaves quickly after telling them the specials for the day, visibly unnerved by the lack of response she gets from Veronica, JD merely giving the girl a smile that ends up looking more like a grimace while gently gesturing for her to leave. Veronica gazes at her retreating figure, as their waitress is no doubt racing to give additional information about her to Whitney and the others._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _A small twinge of pride pipes up despite everything- Veronica was always good at pushing people away, and she’s more than a little relieved to see that she still can; with a single glance, no less. It simmers down once she notices JD’s expression, his eyebrows furrowed, his head tilted. She has the vague idea that he’s not going to be leaving her life for quite some time, before he clears his throat, and opens his mouth._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Do you want to talk about it?” JD asks, wincing as the words fall past his lips. She’s clearly not ready to, her shoulders hunched, eyes flickering from various points around the restaurant. But it doesn’t stop him from talking, determined to unearth exactly why she looks like she’s seconds from falling apart. “Veronica?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She swallows, hunting for the courage she’s been missing. “Has a ghost ever talked to you before?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD considers the question before he leans back in his seat, relaxes a bit. This must be something that he’s dealt with in the past. “She talked to you, didn’t she? The one in your photo?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica jerks her head into a nod, squeezes her hands together. “Yeah.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“She talks to me too, not often, though.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Really?” She scoffs slightly, clearly not believing him; not that he can completely blame her._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Really. Less than when I first came here, but she still does. Mostly it’s just insults, but sometimes she’ll ask about real life; who’s famous, what songs are popular, what the new slang is. I’m not much help though, my college roommates always joked that my soul was stuck in the ‘80s.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

A smile creeps up the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, I can see that.” She leans back slightly, unclasps her hands. “I was always partial to the ‘90s, myself. Mini skirts and _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ were staples when I was growing up.”

_ _ __ _ _

“‘_In every generation there is a chosen one_,’” JD quotes, tone teasing. “It’s a good show.”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“I thought you’d hate it. I mean, I guess it’s not really accurate, at least about ghosts, is it?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He scrunches his nose for a second; considers her statement. “It wasn’t really, but what can I say? I was still a fan. Guess I always had a thing for Cali girls.” He jokes, eyes crinkling._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

Veronica rolls her eyes, takes a sip of her water. _God, he is such a nerd_, she thinks to herself before asking, “Who is she anyway? The ghost?”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Her name is Heather Chandler.” JD states, not at all sounding as solemn as she expected. “She killed herself before the explosion by drinking some sort of poison. Now that I think about it, that’s probably why her mouth is stained in your photo.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Her name’s Heather?” Veronica asks, incredulous._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah, but I just call her Chandler. I think it pisses her off more.” His grin falters when he notices her expression. “Why?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Nothing, that’s just really weird. Two of my friends are both named Heather- different last names, but still. It’s just kind of creepy.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

It’s JD’s turn to take a moment to process this new bit of information, his mouth opening and closing as he tries to figure out what he could possibly say in response. “So, now you know _three_ Heathers?”

_ _ __ _ _

“I guess.” After a moment, her eyes brighten a tad, a laugh nearly escaping her mouth. “That’ll make _great_ material for the book though.”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD rolls his eyes, flicks his straw wrapper at her. “You know, Veronica, there’s other things to talk about then this book of yours.” _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He’s clearly teasing, at least, she hopes he is, and she pretends like she doesn’t notice when his foot brushes against hers, his work boots a heavy contrast to her beat-up sneakers._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Regardless, she takes the bait, leaning forward as she watches his eyes widen slightly, and she has half-a-mind to ask if he’s trying to flirt with her. “Then what should we talk about?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He shrugs, never averting his gaze from her. “Anything, really.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Okay. I mean, I have been wanting to ask you something, but fair warning, I’m not sure how you’ll take it.” Veronica says, fighting a smile._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Try me.” He says, smirking, before taking a sip of his water. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Are you a hermit?” Veronica asks, chipping away at her already ruined nail polish._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

He chokes on his water, wipes his mouth with his jacket sleeve. “_What_?”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She shrugs, somehow the perfect mix of indifference and blinding curiosity. “Your friends sure seem to think so. They acted like they didn’t think you were going to come back. Or at least your girlfriend did.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“_Girlfriend_?”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Uh, yeah? The hostess? Wendy, or whatever.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“It’s Whitney. And no, we’re not dating. She’s married to one of my old college roommates, they’re the reason I get a discount on the food here.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Her eyes lighten, and she sits up a bit straighter; not quite sure which revelation of his she’s more excited about._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Where’d you go to college, anyway? Can’t imagine Haunted House Restoration is a popular major.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He laughs at that, his eyes crinkling. “No, it’s not. That’s why I had the good sense to major in architecture. I went to Winona University, it’s about an hour from here.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Oh shit, you’re right! That’s the place near the North mall, the creepy one.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“You do know it- did you go there?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“No, no, I just uh, I grew up in Sherwood. We were pretty familiar with the colleges nearby because of all the parties, my friends and I went all the time in high school. But uh, to answer your question, I actually went to Stanford, double-majored in English and Journalism.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He whistles low at that, leans forward, elbows resting on the table. “Wow.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“It’s not that big a deal, besides, I only went ‘cause my girlfriend convinced me. Plus, it was the farthest college away from Sherwood.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Something flashes in JD’s eyes, and he looks away from her, tries to get rid of the dirt under his fingernails. He still wears a smile on his face, though it seems more forced than usual. “Well, she’s a very lucky woman, then.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Oh. Uh, thanks, but we-we’re not dating anymore. We broke up earlier this year, actually.” She says, suddenly very aware that that’s the first time she’s ever told someone about Heather, about what happened. It doesn’t hurt as much as she thought it would, and somewhere in her mind she wonders if that counts as growth._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He hums in response, accepting her answer, but clearly not wanting to ask anymore questions, too apprehensive that it’d send her spiraling. She appreciates this, appreciates him._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Why’d you pick Winona?” Veronica asks, and for a moment considers whether she should be writing this down, to add to her notes that have been steadily becoming more about her roommate than the mansion._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Easy. I got a scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to go otherwise. It helped that the architecture program was somewhat decent. That’s where I ended up meeting Whitney and her husband.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“And now they run this place?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He shakes his head. “Whitney works here, but Chris works at the hardware store when he can, and does construction part-time. He’s just about done with this new house he’s been working on for months.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Has he ever helped at Westerberg, then?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Her companion barks out a laugh, his chair tipping dangerously far back for a moment. “God, I wish. He and his wife love me, but they are superstitious as hell. Chris gives me salt at a crazy discount, he’s so convinced I’ll end up cursed otherwise.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“_Have_ you ever been cursed?” She asks, with much more excitement in her voice than any other person should have. And it’s not like she really wants anything bad to happen to him, but honestly she thinks that she has every right to know if her new roommate is hexed or something.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He shakes his head, more somber than she expected. “No, not yet, anyway. But hey, there’s always the possibility, right?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Right.” She nods, mulling over his words. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Charlie comes back to their table, refills their drinks despite the fact that they’ve barely even taken a sip out of their glasses. She asks them what they’d like to order, and they all pretend that everything is normal, like Veronica’s entire presence in the diner hasn’t upended everything._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

When the waitress asks Veronica what she wants, she orders waffles because she can, and gets extra whipped cream because she deserves it. Plus, it’s not like Mac’s there to give her a _look_ when the waffles are piled high with sugar.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD shoots her an amused glance, but otherwise says nothing of it, choosing instead to get his “usual”, whatever that means, and acknowledges Charlie’s knowing smile. Jesus, even the food he orders is shrouded in mystery._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Charlie leaves after that, lets the pair fall back into the casual conversation, as they quietly debate the merits of whether Buffy should have ended up with Angel or Spike. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The food ends up arriving faster than Veronica thought it would, especially considering the old couple near them have been waiting on a drink refill for ten minutes. She tries and fails, not to be smug about it. Living with JD has some unexpected perks, evidently._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“So,” Veronica says while cutting up her waffle, trying her best not to steal one of JD’s fries that came with his burger, “Does it matter that it was Chandler that saw me? Just because she’s more powerful doesn’t necessarily mean she’s dangerous, right? I mean, it’s not like she did anything to me, at least.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She takes her first bite of the waffles, the sweetness stinging her teeth, her mouth close to puckering. She takes another bite regardless._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“If I tell you that she once broke my hand, would that answer your question?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“Well, _fuck_.” She curses, ignoring the matching glares from an older couple sat a table away from them.

_ _ __ _ _

JD, ever the charmer, gives an apologetic glance and a _‘sorry’_ to the couple, whose expressions soften in turn. Veronica pretends to ignore the _‘What a nice young man,’_; her teeth gritted together in defiance. She really should have known a small town like this would grate at her, would press at her lungs until she couldn't breathe.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD attempts to carry on the conversation, watching her sink back into despair giving him a bad taste in his mouth, much like her own. “It’s alright, Chandler’s more pissed at me than you. I’ll make sure that you’re safe, if you want to stay to work on the book, that is.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“And how will you do that?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He shrugs, pops a french fry in his mouth. “A combination of things. I’ll cleanse the cabin so that none of the ghosts can get in. Maybe parts of the house too, if I can. We might want to get you some sage to burn, or some salt to carry, things like that.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She manages a laugh, ignoring the way JD gives her a clumsy smile in return. “Wait, that stuff actually works? I thought it was just used in movies.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Well,” JD sighs, pulling his plate closer towards him, “Where do you think the writer’s got the ideas from?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Then why didn’t you bring any of that stuff when we first got there?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“I told you, they haven’t been that active this early in the day in months. One of the ghosts must have noticed you yesterday, that’s the only reason I can think of that Chandler would be waiting down there.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She hums, steals one of his fries when she’s certain he isn’t looking. “Is she the leader of the others, then?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“In a way.” _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _It seems like that’s all he wants to say about the matter, opting to continue eating his burgers and remaining french fries. He gives Veronica an amused glance as he comes to the conclusion that he has significantly less than before._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“You know, we can take the rest of the day off if you want. Explore the town or something.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _She hesitates. “I thought you would want to keep working at the house.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He shrugs, in turn. “This was never a busy day, I don’t mind finishing up tomorrow.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“And how will this help me finish my book?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He barks out a laugh. “It won’t. But hey, it’ll be fun, I promise. Something tells me that you haven’t had that in a while.”_ _“I could say the same for you.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He winks. “Touche. But I do have some shopping to get done, so I really wouldn’t mind.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _They’re done with their meals soon after, ready to leave, JD wanting to get to the hardware store before it closes for the day. He leaves a generous tip on the table for Charlie, before getting up to pay at the hostess stand. Despite Veronica’s various protests, JD pays for both their meals, hiding a smile best he can after catching a glimpse of her face out of the corner of his eye, her eyebrows furrowed, and wearing a glare strong enough that JD is certain would kill him had he looked at her directly._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Whitney chuckles slightly before handing JD his credit card back. “You know, Jay, Chris and I are free this weekend. We could all get dinner or something at my place.” She casts a look at Veronica, who in turn tones down her glare, and Whitney widens her smile a bit more. “You’re invited too, honey. Oh, and I almost forgot.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Whitney lifts a paper bag over the counter, hands it to JD. “Blueberry pie, on the house.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Whit, I can’t-”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Jason Dean, I know for a fact that for the past week and a half that you have been living off of nothing but takeout and leftovers. Take the damn pie.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _It’s JD’s turn to glare, but he takes the bag regardless, promises to pay Whitney back, which she waves off. The pair doesn’t stay for long after that, Whitney shooing them away in such a manner that Veronica is now completely convinced that everyone in the diner thinks that she and him are a couple._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Walking through town, though necessary towards the pair’s plans, proves to be a horrible mistake. Despite the leaves nearly begging to change color, the sun is in full force and shows no sign of mercy; the last snippets of summer fighting not to leave. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Sweat gathers at the back of Veronica’s neck, forcing her to tie her hair up before taking off her jacket. Despite all this, she can’t help but be in a mostly pleasant mood, the promise of having protection as well as finally being able to do some laundry too great to increase her annoyance over the heat._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _JD’s another story._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He sheds his jacket the second they stepped outside of Blue Lilac, huffing out a breath once the oppressive heat hits him. Veronica takes pity on him halfway to the hardware store, hands him her extra hair tie, watching in amusement as he attempts to put his hair in a pony-tail. Or maybe it’s a bun? She can’t really tell, but it makes her laugh all the same as JD fails to scowl at her._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Despite his less-than-joyful mood, he still manages to point out the various landmarks and places in the small town, and Veronica is certain that in another life he’d be an excellent tour guide._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“There’s your laundromat,” JD points out once they cross at an intersection, neatly dodging a family of five. “It’s pretty small, but it’s usually not too crowded in the mornings, that’s when I usually go. Also, make sure that you have all your change ready to go, the owner really hates breaking $20’s.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“I’ll keep that in mind.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“I’m sure you will. Now up ahead we have the gas station and convenience store, which you probably used before. It’s basically like an off-brand Snappy Snack Shack, that’s why it’s not open for 24 hours though, so apologies in advance for when you want food at 3 am.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _It’s not long after that when Veronica makes the calculated observation that JD is an asshole when he decides that they split up, him to pick up odds and ends at the hardware store and then to grab a couple of groceries, while she, (after being given detailed instructions and some cash), will pick up sage and other things to protect them at the vaguely creepy antique/occult store._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _At first, the idea didn't seem so bad. She knows what supplies to get, and should be able to find them relatively quickly, according to JD. Everything changes when she actually steps inside the gaudy store, sputtering when she runs into a curtain of beads, nearly choking over the obscene amount of burning incense. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The owner of the store quite literally appears through a cloud of smoke, the incense evidently having no effect on the woman. “Hello,” she says in a song-like way, and Veronica instantly hates her. “Welcome to Fleming’s Fancy, what may I help you with today? Would you like some crystals, perhaps? Or an aura reading, my dear? I’m sensing some very troubling energy from you.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The woman, who Veronica can only presume is named Fleming, steps closer to her and extends a hand that nearly touches Veronica’s face. She looks as though she got stuck in the ‘60s, her long dress, flowy sleeves, and glasses that make her look like an owl, her eyes wide as she stares at Veronica._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica blanches, takes a step back, and then another when Fleming only comes closer, her back brushing up against the beads. “Um, I think I’m alright with my aura right now, so I’ll jus-”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Oh, my dear,” Fleming whispers, tears springing in her eyes. “You will have so much more pain upon you should you continue on this path. You mustn’t trust those that are closest to you, they will only bring you further suffering, you’re going to suffocate. You must-”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Look, I’m really sorry, but I’m fine with my energy. I just came here to pick up a couple of things.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Fleming’s frown only deepens, but she relents after a beat, lowers her hand away from Veronica’s face, the bracelets on her arms jingling. “Yes. Yes, of course. What can I help you find?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica reads off the list, tries her best to read JD’s chicken-scratch writing on the back of the receipt from the diner. She purposely ignores Fleming’s hums of approval after she says an item, wanting nothing more than to get her things and go before she gets taken hostage by this woman._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _When Veronica’s done reading the list, Fleming adjusts her glasses before speaking. “You are aware that most of those items are for protection?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica shrugs._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Alright. I believe I have most of them in the back, I can get them for you if you’d like.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Uh, yeah, that’d be great, thank you.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Fleming goes off to the stockroom to find the items, the length of her dress making it seem as though she was floating rather than walking. Veronica takes the opportunity to step away from the burning incense, and wanders around the small shop, eyes glancing over the large arrays of crystals, tarot cards, and pamphlets that she’s pretty sure are from some sort of cult. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

The store makes her skin crawl in the worst way, and Veronica can’t quite decide if it’s because of the occult items, or simply a by-product of being near Fleming for an extended period of time. The store looks more like her grandmother’s basement than anything else, and she can’t help but recoil when she bumps into a flowered curtain, winces when she notices that there’s an honest-to-god _‘Live, Laugh, Love’_ sign crocheted and hanging on a wall.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica’s just about to leave, JD’s list be damned, when Fleming calls to her from the counter that she’s found everything. She tunes out Fleming’s monologue on the cautions of the items, in particular everything that could go wrong, and quickly heads out after paying, steadfastly ignoring Fleming’s sputtering that she’s making a mistake._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica takes a deep breath of fresh air once she steps outside, relieved beyond comprehension that she doesn’t have to have any more perfume fill her lungs. Her joy is short-lived once the heat sets in again, as well as the realization that she has no idea how to find JD; she never even gave him her phone number._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Sighing, she decides to walk to the gas station, figuring that even if she can’t find her roommate, she can at least get herself a cold drink. After walking a couple of blocks, and crossing the street, nearly getting hit by a mother and her stroller, does she reach her sanctuary, the air-conditioned store feeling like heaven. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The convenience store ends up not having Big Gulp, so Veronica decides to settle for an ice-cold slushie, fills her cup to the brim with bright artificial red, and then another with Blue Raspberry, figuring that if JD doesn’t like it, at least she tried. Juggling the two cups in her hand, the bag from Fleming on her wrist, and snatching the last bag of BBQ corn nuts, she slowly walks over to the counter and pays, relieved when the cashier hands her a tray for her drinks. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _As luck would have it, Veronica runs into JD for the second time that day as soon as she heads out the door, slipping the Corn Nuts right next to the sage in her bag._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Fancy seeing you here,” he chuckles. “You get the stuff from Fleming?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica huffs, hands him his slushie. “Yeah, after she tried to read my aura. She said that I’m doomed for suffering, apparently.”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah, sorry that I sent you there,” he says after thanking her for the slushie and throwing the tray away for her, a small smile on his face as they walk away from the store. He had apparently only gone to the gas station in an attempt to find her. “Every time I go there, Fleming ends up preaching that my soul is ‘marked for evil’, and that it’ll rot. The woman barely goes near me when I step inside, like she’s certain my energy will infect her, or something.” _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“You’re seriously telling me that _Fleming_ can quote Baudelaire?”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _“Yeah, I may have exaggerated that part. Are you a fan of Baudelaire? His works, I mean.” JD asks, casting a look at Veronica._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“I haven’t read all of them, just bits and pieces. But from what I’ve read, I’d say I like his work. _‘Be drunken always’_ really spoke to me.” She teases, more pleased than she should be when he nods his head in acknowledgment; missing when he takes a sip of his slushie to hide his frown.

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Walking together in an easy silence, they stroll past the various shops, JD continuing his tour from before as he points out various fun facts about the town, sipping on their drinks all the while. Veronica can’t help but curse when she gets a brain freeze, while JD merely smiles, his eyes brightening whenever his mind goes numb for those few precious seconds._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The pair decides to go back to the cabin after arriving at JD’s truck, as they ended up staying in town much longer than they thought they would. The drive back thankfully seems to go by smoother than the first one they took, though whether it’s because Veronica is in better spirits, or because of all the sugar coursing through her veins, she can’t quite say._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _By the time the pair reach the cabin, the sun is getting ready to set, and mosquitos slowly start to emerge from the bushes, Veronica struggling to swat them away with her hands full. After a moment, JD unlocks the cabin door, allowing his new roommate to go in before him. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _The second she steps inside, she flops down on the couch, barely leaving any room for JD to sit, unceremoniously dropping the groceries on the floor, her jacket and shoes soon resting next to them. JD locks the door behind him, cocks an eyebrow before picking up her abandoned groceries and placing them on the kitchen table alongside his own._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Pulling her hair free from her hair-tie, she asks him if he needs any help; leans her head back on the armrest until she can see him upside down, already sorting through the supplies._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _He waves a hand dismissively after taking out the borrowed hair tie, tells her it’s fine. She lets out a soft groan, runs a hand through her hair, and slowly sits up before joining him, instantly shuffling the bags around to see what she can put away. Luckily for her, there’s barely any sources of storage in the kitchen, simply a handful of cabinets above and below the counter, JD opting to put away the items meant for the upper shelves, as he’s the only one between them who can actually reach them. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _They finish putting the items away in what Veronica likes to believe is record time, and immediately after JD pulls out a pot and pan, intent on cooking them some dinner sooner rather than later. She doesn’t offer to help him with cooking, god knows her roommate would be pissed if the cabin burned down, so she sets the table instead. She ignores her mother’s voice in her head, coaching her on proper table etiquette; Heather’s poorly hidden sigh when Veronica still couldn’t figure out why people needed both a salad fork and a normal one, even after three years of dating. Luckily for her, JD doesn’t seem to be the kind of person to throw a fit over a table setting._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Per JD’s muttered request as he stares disapprovingly at the barely boiling water, she turns on the radio in the living room, jazz music suddenly filling the empty spaces throughout the rooms. Veronica curls up on the couch after, taking comfort in the fact that she doesn’t have to leave the cabin for the rest of the night, her feet aching. From her position she can see JD in the kitchen tap his fingers along the beat of the music, can see his hair fall in his face when he reaches for some spice or another in an upper cabinet, can see the way his eyebrows furrow, the way he bites his lip as he considers how much pasta he should pour in the now boiling water._ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Of course, Veronica’s sliver of peace is interrupted the second she allows her shoulders to relax into the cushions, extends her legs on the couch in an attempt to see if her feet could reach the armrest on the opposite side when her phone rings. Her phone blasts some song she vaguely remembers listening to in her teens, some embarrassing pop tune Mac was obsessed with, and her face flushes in response to JD’s barely hidden laugh. _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _Veronica sits up and steels herself before answering the phone, tries to build a wall of defense against the tirade that most certainly awaits her after seeing the name on the screen. “Hello?”_ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“_Veronica_!” Heather McNamara shrieks, bursting Veronica’s eardrum, JD wincing in the background. “Dennis told me you were _dead_! It took me 5 phone calls and three Instagram posts to realize that you’re alive! Betty Fish-”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Do you mean Betty Finn?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

“_Betty Finn_ had to break the news to me! Do you know how embarrassing that is, Veronica? I was crying!”

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I’m really sorry for that, Mac, but don’t you hate Dennis? And why didn’t you just call Heather?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Dennis and I reconnected at the grocery store awhile back- the good store, the one close to the daycare, not the one with the creepy old guy- and we actually have a lot in common.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Wow.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I know right? Apparently we both go see Anna, except I go on Tuesdays and he goes on Thursdays. Anyway, I can’t call Heather because she won’t answer me. I think she’s still upset over what happened between you two.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Well shit, Mac, I didn’t mean to drag you into this, too.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“It’s fine,” Mac answers, sounding anything but. “Besides, it gives me more time to just focus on myself, and the wedding.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Yeah? How’s that working out?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“It’s fine. A lot of self-reflection sort of stuff, you know?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I don’t. But, um, Mac?” Veronica asks, slipping on her shoes and leaving the beloved couch._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Yeah, Ronnie?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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Veronica walks past JD in the kitchen, taps his shoulder, points to the backdoor, whispers to him that she’ll be a minute before stepping back into the sun. JD shuts the screen door behind her, mouths _‘good luck’_ before resuming his stirring of the pasta.

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Veronica?” Mac asks. “Are you still there?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Yeah, sorry Mac. I just stepped outside. But uh, look, I just wanted to make sure that you’re doing okay, you know? Are you safe?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Mac sighs. “Yeah, Ronnie, I am. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as when we were kids. Besides, I’ve got my wedding to look forward to. You’re coming, right?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I wouldn’t miss it for anything, Mac. Did you two pick a date yet?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Next year on February 10th.” She states proudly, before continuing. “It’s a Friday, which will help with costs, plus that’s the day we had our first date on. By the way, how do you feel about yellow bridesmaids dresses? Are they too tacky?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Not at all.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _After that, the conversation melds into a mix of wedding plans and enough stories about the locals that it would make a gossip magazine jealous. The conversation feels like a breath of fresh air; and Veronica never thought that she would miss having these types of shallow talks after she left. So of course, she has to ruin it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I saw a ghost today.” Veronica states, hoping that if she acts like JD had, so casual about it, so blase, that Mac wouldn’t be able to hear the way her voice shakes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“A real one?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Yeah, a real one. I got a picture of her.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Wow.” Mac remarks, then stays silent for a beat to process. “How are you feeling?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Veronica shrugs, squeezes her phone in her hand until it hurts. “I mean, it was a little scary, but the guy working on the house said he’d help me out. I’m staying with him in his cabin.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“That’s good. When Betty told me what happened, I thought you were all along out there. I’m glad that you’re with someone.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Veronica smiles, a real one at that, and her heart aches. “Thanks, Mac. He’s a good guy. And….I’m sorry that I didn’t call to tell you. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, and I knew if I called you-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“That I’d drive to your apartment to stop you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She sighs. “Yeah.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I still want to, you know. But...I trust you, Ronnie. If you say you’re okay, then you’re okay.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Thanks, Mac.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“You’re welcome. Now, am I ever going to get to talk to this new roommate of yours?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Oh, hell no. There’s no telling what Mac would tell JD about her, about Heather, and the thought makes her throat constrict. As much as she loves Mac, the girl has never been the best at deciding what should be said and what should be kept secret. Besides, it’s kind of nice to have a friend from outside the same group she’s had since high school. It’s refreshing in a way Veronica can’t quite explain, the fact that in a way, she has JD all to herself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Does that make her sound like a stalker? Shit._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Uh, no, sorry, he just left to get some food.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Oh. Well, maybe I’ll just call later this week, then. What’s his name again?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Veronica bites her tongue before telling her, and tries to convince herself that JD wouldn’t mind before the conversation quickly diverts to the drama at Mac’s yoga class._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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JD steps outside the second she’s finishing up the phone call, a _“Call you later, Mac,”_ on her lips and a cigarette pack in her hand. She lights one as soon as she puts her phone in her pocket, raises an eyebrow when JD asks if he can borrow a cigarette. Considering he paid for her lunch and just made her dinner, Veronica can’t find it in herself to say no.

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She hands him one, marveling at the sight in front of her when he leans down and lights it from her own cigarette, a blush rapidly rising on her face. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Didn’t know you smoked.” Is all she manages to say, willing herself not to get weak-kneed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Only when the mood strikes me.” He responds, lazily watching her watching him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She huffs out a laugh, smoke falling out her mouth. “The mood strikes me all the time.” She teases, only half-joking, but certain that he knows it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _He chuckles low at that, sits down next to her, squinting slightly when the sun gets in his eyes. This is the most relaxed she’s ever seen him, and she can’t seem to look away from the sight in front of her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _He must have left his jacket inside the cabin, since he’s only wearing his faded t-shirt. JD lifts his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun and takes another drag from his borrowed cigarette. He’s more toned than she thought he’d be, the heavy labor of the mansion certainly showing in his silhouette._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Was that your friend? The one you went to Stanford with?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“No, it was my friend Mac, she’s getting married later this year back in Sherwood, actually. Hey, um, this may sound like a weird question-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Veronica, we’re in one of the most haunted places in the country. It’ll take a lot to weird me out.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She breathes out a sigh, fiddles with a thread at the hem of her shirt before continuing. “Do you have any social media at all? Because I’m 99% sure that my friend is going to do everything she can to find out anything about you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I’m guessing she knows my name then?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She nods._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Well,” JD continues, waving a mosquito away from his face. “Luckily for you, I do not. Most people outside this town probably don’t even know that I exist. I intend to keep it that way for as long as I can.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Lucky me.” Veronica replies, not quite sure what to make of his last comment._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Lucky you.” He says with a grin, brushing his hair out of his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _They sit in comfortable silence as the sun continues to set, Veronica watching him as he sits in deep thought, clearly contemplating something heavy as he watches the sky slowly get darker._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“We don’t have to go to the house tomorrow,” JD suddenly announces, casting a glance at her for the first time in several minutes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She pretends like she wasn’t staring at him, and quickly averts her eyes to the woods in front of her, missing the way he tilts his head, an amused smile forming on his face. It fades once he notices her wilting posture, the way his suggestion seems to be having the opposite effect that he wanted on her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I don’t want to be the reason that you can’t get work done.” She sighs, her mood darkening. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Heather was right. She is poison._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _He shrugs, moves in closer to her, swatting away a fly that lands on her thigh. “I don’t have to be at the mansion to get work done, Veronica. I can still do a lot in the cabin or back in town.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Like what?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Like getting more supplies, or making sure I’m still following regulations for the house. I still need to figure out some blueprints for the second and third floor.” he says, before taking a long drag of his cigarette, trying not to wonder what happened for her to be this way, to extinguish in seconds._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She makes the decision to turn her head towards him, surprised when he’s closer than she remembered, their knees practically touching. He’s lazily holding her borrowed cigarette, it pointed away from her. She can smell the smoke on him, the faint scent of cologne. She can nearly feel his breath on her face, and meets his eyes, his gaze so strong it’s like he’s trying to see right through her. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She swallows before speaking, desperately wanting to call Mac again, she’s always been better at this stuff than Veronica. “JD, I’m going to have to face Chander at some point. I can’t just hide from her. Besides, we bought all the sage and salt we could find, I’ll be fine.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _When his expression doesn’t change, she continues. “I can’t promise that I won’t wander off again, but I’ll let you know before I do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Veronica, this place is dangerous, okay? You can’t just-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ __ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I’m an adult, JD. I can make my own decisions.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _He sighs, his shoulders tensing as he stares back at the setting sun, ignoring her frown. “I know that, Veronica, really. It’s just, you were really freaked out earlier today, I don’t want that happening again if I can stop it.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I can’t let Chandler win, JD. I can do this, seriously. I trust you, so now you have to trust me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I do.” His answer is immediate as he meets her gaze again, his face so close to hers it takes her a moment to collect her thoughts enough to respond somewhat coherently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Good. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving, so I’m going back in to eat.” She puts her cigarette out on the edge of her shoe, too scared to mark up JD’s porch, before slowly standing up and heading back up the stairs, giving a quick glance back to make sure that he’s coming, too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _They can do this, she thinks to herself as she passes through the door, JD a step behind. They have more things to protect them than anyone should really have, so there’s no question that Chandler will leave them alone now. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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Success is possible, so tangible she can nearly taste it, can imagine what the cover of her book will look like, can imagine the looks on everyone’s faces, on _Heather’s_ face. She likes to imagine that JD finds success too, in his own way of course, and it’s a happy thought.

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _They can do this, after all, what could possibly go wrong?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I just want to genuinely thank you for reading my story. I must also apologize again for how long it took for me to post it, and I will try my best to make sure that I will never take that long again.
> 
> I hope that you liked the chapter, and as always, feel free to leave any concerns, comments, suggestions, or questions down below!!
> 
> I hope that you have a great week, and that something makes you smile today! 💙

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all!! Thanks for reading!! If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or more, please feel free to let me know down below!! 
> 
> Hope you have a wonderful day :)


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